FAQ'S
Q: I have a tree that threatens my house in a high wind. Can you cut some off the top to make it safer?
A: Tree topping is a common practice, but is very injurious to trees. Usually, the objective is to reduce the size of the tree. People may feel that their trees have become too large for their location, or possibly that tall trees may be a hazard. Topping, however is not the answer. In fact, this harmful practice will make a healthy tree more hazardous over time. Topping cuts away the "food factory", or leaf-bearing crown, of the tree. This triggers the tree’s natural survival mechanism, forcing rapid growth of multiple shoots below each cut to grow a new crop of leaves as soon as possible. If the tree does not have stored energy reserves to survive this threat, it will be seriously weakened and may die. Concerns about tree safety should be addressed by a competent arborist.
Q: What do they mean by "Sunburn" for a tree?
A: Topping can do to a tree what we all dread at the beach. The thousands of leaves in a tree’s crown are there to absorb sunlight. Cutting out the leaves as the top is removed suddenly exposes the remaining branches and trunk to the harsh levels of light and heat produced by direct sun. This can sunburn the delicate tissues beneath the bark, leading to bark splitting, cankers and death of some affected branches.
Q: Does tree topping create other hazards?
A: Yes, it does. Few trees are able to combat the multiple severe wounds caused by topping. Decay organisms have a free and clear path to move into the tree down the branches. Stubs left from topping usually decay and the shoots produced below the cuts are weakly attached to the tree. As they grow quickly very large, they are likely to break, particularly in windy weather. Thus, the attempt to reduce the tree’s height to make it safer has the opposite result, making it more hazardous than before.
Q: But isn’t topping the least expensive way to reduce a tree?
A: On the contrary, the true cost of this practice is not just the initial fee paid to the perpetrator. Within a few years, if it survives, the injured tree will need to be trimmed again, or its new branches will fall victim to storm damage and the resulting cleanup. Of course, if it dies, it will have to be removed. One more reason to avoid this high maintenance pruning practice.
Q: What other costs are associated with topping trees?
A: Another cost frequently ignored is the effect on property value. Healthy, well-maintained trees can add 10% to 20% to the value of a property. Trees disfigured by |
